Happily Ever Alex
by Vause16Chapman
Summary: After being the runner up on a Bachelor-style dating show, Piper becomes the star and first bisexual lead. Her interest is piqued by several of the contestants, specifically a raven-haired beauty with sexy secretary glasses. Rated M for language and adult situations. Note: I do not own OITNB, or any of the lovely characters. I'm just borrowing them for fun.
1. Chapter 1

_Next week on the most dramatic season finale of Happily Ever After in history, our suitor Larry must choose between his final two ladies, the lovely Polly, and the dazzling Piper. For one of these women, true love awaits, for the other – heartbreak._

Nicky Nichols pushed her wild hair out of her face and unceremoniously leaned across the coffee table to grab another beer. "Do you believe this shit, Vause? A bunch of bimbos all sucking the same D, claiming to be looking for love. It's trash."

"True. But it's addicting trash, and you're just jealous that you're not the one with all the bimbos." Alex replied, not taking her green eyes off the stunning girl on the TV in front of her. "Plus that blonde one is pretty hot." The raven haired woman added, almost under her breath, finally making eye contact with her friend as the show cut to a commercial.

"You know me too well." Nicky conceded to her best friend of twenty years. "Seriously, if Lorna wasn't a producer, there is no way I'd watch this shit."

"Good point. Hey, being your girlfriend is a big hot shot over there, think she can get me on next season, so I can have all the lovely ladies?" Alex slid her black-rimmed glasses slightly down her nose to peer over them and seductively raise an eyebrow at Nicky.

"Mmmm… Not a chance. You know as well as I do that the runner up has it in the bag. In this case, it's going to be that dead-eyed brunette. And as far as being one of the suitors? Well you're missing a certain appendage between your legs to land that gig, and your strap-on isn't going to do the job."

Alex almost choked on her drink. "Bullshit. This is the 21st century. Why can't they have a gay bachelor? Hell, I'd be happy with a bisexual one. Round up some hot guys and hot girls – parade them around in their bathing suits for the lead. That's ratings gold right there, Nic! Appeal to a wider audience. And let the record show that my strap-on always does the job."

"Calm down, Sasquatch. You may actually be on to something. I'll run that by Lorna when she gets home tonight."

Alex started laughing and choking on her drink again. "Geez, Nic. I didn't realize you needed my help in that particular department. But what are friends for?"

"Fuck you. I meant the Bi-Bachelorette. That's a show I'd watch."

* * *

"Oh my Godddd, Piperrrr! I can't believe our plan worked and Larry is going to propose next week!" Polly gushed, her excitement bubbling out of every pore. The copious amounts of champagne, and bottomless drinks consumed at the cocktail party that evening were also to blame.

"Jesus, Pol. Will you shut the fuck up?! There are cameras everywhere – if one of the producers hears you, we're screwed." Piper whispered back harshly. But in all honesty, she couldn't believe it either. Just a few short months ago, Piper Chapman had started dating Larry Bloom. He was your typical nice guy, from a nice family, but left Piper wishing he had a bit of an edge, or sense of adventure. She continued to go out with him, because her upbringing taught her that he was the type of guy her parents would undoubtedly approve of. After two weeks of mediocre dates, Larry dropped the bomb that he was going to be the lead on a local reality dating show. He admitted that although he really liked Piper, and could definitely see a future with her, he had applied for this opportunity before they met and was excited to see where it would lead. Piper was completely appalled by the idea, at first. Those TV shows were a waste of time and none of the relationships seemed real, or ever worked out. To prove this point, Larry explained that as the lead, he could discreetly pull some strings and have Piper star as one of the eligible bachelorettes on the show. However, as she mulled it over, she realized the situation could not be more ideal. Her best friend Polly had been batting her eyelashes at Larry ever since Piper had introduced them. And Larry didn't seem too bothered by the extra attention from the brunette. Piper knew that Larry wasn't the one for her, but maybe he was the one for Polly. In her mind, it was a win-win: she would get Larry off her back, and wouldn't have to troll endless Happy Hours as Polly's wingwoman. She easily convinced him to have herself and Polly entered on the show, and figured that she would at least get the chance to meet some other cool girls, maybe a nice palate cleanser after Larry. For years, Piper knew she wasn't straight – but she wasn't a full-blown lesbian either. She had dated her fair share of both guys and girls, but made sure to only bring the boys home to her WASPy, impossible to please family.

Fast forward to Larry eliminating the other contestants one by one, until only Polly and Piper remained. At this point, Polly and Larry were completely in love with each other, and Piper only existed as a formality. She was genuinely happy for (but also a little bit sick of) her friends, and just couldn't wait for the season to be over. Sure, she had hooked up with a few of the more adventurous girls when the mics and cameras were off, but after witnessing her best friend fall in love, a part of her wanted the same thing. She couldn't wait for her final scene to be filmed – the highly anticipated break up. Throughout the season, Piper had to come across as the nice, blonde lady from Connecticut – the good girl next door who was trying to win Larry's heart. It was a challenge, because as the weeks went on, Larry only served to repulse her more and more. Now she had to crush that image, so the audience would rally behind Polly, and watch her ride off into the sunset with Larry.

* * *

 _"I like hot girls. I like hot boys. What can I say? I'm shallow."_

"Holy shit, Vause. Blondie here is your soul mate." Nicky watched wide-eyed as fan favorite Piper casually stomped all over Larry's heart and revealed to the audience that she was bisexual. "She just verbally junk-punched Barry so hard. On TV." For his part, Larry teared up a little, and looked almost hurt as Piper climbed into the waiting limo. Shortly after, he would dry his eyes, straighten his tie, and propose to Polly with an over the top engagement ring, chosen by Larry but purchased by the network.

Alex couldn't help but laugh at Nicky's obsession. Sure, the blonde was gorgeous and if Alex had the chance to meet Piper in real life, she would have her eating out of the palm of her hand. At the same time, she felt something pull at her inside. She wanted to meet Piper, learn more about her – her likes, dislikes, loves, turn on's, turn off's. Alex had to stop before she started picturing their future together. Despite the name, reality TV was not real life, and Alex resigned herself to the fact that she would never meet the blue-eyed, 27-year old, Smith alumni, book editor from Connecticut who she may have spent hours stalking on every form of social media she could get her hands on.

"Yea, yea, laugh all you want Vause, but who's going to laughing when blue-eyed, 27-year old, Smith alumni, book editor Piper Chapman from Connecticut is the one making the cuts next season." Alex's laughter was abruptly cut off as she realized she must have been thinking out loud. There was no way Nicky knew all of that about Piper.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Nic?" Alex tried and failed sound nonchalant as she sat up a little straighter on Nicky's couch.

"Oh shit." Was the only response Alex got. It wasn't enough. Nicky tried to distract Alex by offering to get her another drink from the kitchen.

"Nicky! What the actual fuck?!"

"Ok, ok, geez. Your wet dream here is going to be the lead next season. And she's going to be the first in the history of the show to have guys and girls to choose from. No one knows. No one has even auditioned yet. Lorna broke the news to me this morning before she left for work. Apparently your idea wasn't so bad." Nicky explained, almost feeling guilty for spilling the confidential details to Alex.

"Nichols. You need to get me on that show."


	2. Chapter 2

I'm blown away by all the feedback and reviews. As a long time reader, and first time writer, I didn't know what to expect. I'm loving your thoughts and opinions, so keep them coming! On with the show...

* * *

"For heaven's sake, Piper, put your phone away." Carol Chapman reprimanded her daughter. Piper knew the constant checking of her cell phone wasn't as discreet as she thought, but in her defense, how was she supposed to sit through an engagement dinner for her best friend and ex-boyfriend without some form of distraction? The champagne was helping, but not as much as the email from her favorite producer, Lorna, at Happily Ever After confirming that she would be the lead next season. She tried to keep the smile off her face as she slipped her phone back into her clutch and summoned the look on Carol, the Queen of the WASP's face when she found out her daughter would be dating a bunch of strangers. On TV. Again. She may have forgotten to mention to her mother that half of the contestants would be women. She had to stop herself from laughing out loud.

Piper had done her part, and won the hearts of the viewers, but thought her chances of being the star were jeopardized when she rambled through her break up with Larry about being into both guys and girls. Apparently, that was just the sort of shake up the show was hungry for. After walking away from Larry, Lorna (the producer with a bright personality, and even brighter lipstick) was waiting in the limo for her. Piper's first thought was that the petite Italian girl wanted a quick hook-up in the backseat before her departure. They had exchanged a few flirty comments as the season progressed, and Piper learned Lorna had a serious girlfriend. But fortunately (or unfortunately for Piper's libido), Lorna just wanted to pitch the idea at her. She already had the green light from some of the executives at Happily Ever After, and really just needed Piper on board before they could propose it to the network. Piper had agreed on the spot, swore that she actually was bisexual (and had been since high school), signed some release forms, and told Lorna she would see her soon.

The engagement party dragged on for a few more hours as friends, family, and other random guests, some Piper recognized from the show, congratulated the happy couple. Piper kept a smile plastered on her face, and acted genuinely happy for her friends, just in case any big shots from the network were in attendance. Although she really didn't have to try hard to be happy for Polly. They had known each other for years, and once you got past her annoying quirks, Polly was fiercely loyal and had a killer sense of humor. She also made a damn good margarita, Piper thought as she sidled up to the bar to refill her champagne for the thir- four- fifth time. Piper instantly noticed Sam Healy, the older Director of Photography whose first impression was that of a father figure, but quickly transformed into a creepy uncle with an unhealthy obsession with young women. He was wrapped up in a conversation with Red, Head of Craft Services, who provided all the food for the cast and crew. Piper casually leaned closer to hear what they were arguing about, while trying to make herself invisible so her eavesdropping would go undetected.

"That Larry was a slimy, little worm, Sam. That blonde one escaped just in time." The Russian woman, who Piper had always been fond of, stated dramatically. Red and Piper had gotten off to a bit of a rocky start after Piper had complained about the food – but she was quick to make amends when she overhead that the fiery cook's temper matched her hair, and she was known to hold grudges.

"Hmm? Oh, right. Chapman." Healy groaned. Piper wasn't a fan of his either. "She was so promising at the start of the season. But with the rumors of lesbian activity with the interns," Piper rolled her eyes. "and then she admits to being a bisexual! It's unacceptable! That lifestyle – everything about it is just…" Piper wanted to throw her drink all over the disgusting man, but didn't get the chance as Red did just that.

"Shut up, Sam. She's a nice girl. Now, dry off and go home. Get some rest. You have a busy day of shooting coming up." Red looked past Sam, and winked at Piper, who smiled kindly in return as Healy disappeared into the crowd. "You too, Blondie. Don't want to be puffy for the cameras."

"Thanks, Red. See you tomorrow." She quickly hugged the older woman, and went to say her goodbyes to the other guests. In her excitement, Piper had almost forgotten that she was scheduled to shoot her promos and introduction the next day. All of the belongings she would require for the show had already been moved to her new home for the next few months. At this very minute, camera crews were interviewing her potential suitors for the upcoming season. Piper was beyond curious about who would show up for her. Obviously guys and girls had both auditioned, but she was told her identity was kept as much of a secret as theirs. She would have given anything for a peek at the cast list, and as hard as she tried to persuade Lorna to spill – the girl was a steel trap.

Piper finally pried herself out of Polly's vice grip of a hug, gave Larry a platonic pat on the shoulder, and wished the couple luck as she made her way outside to wait for her cab. The blonde allowed her mind to drift back to her cast. The formula for the show was pretty standard – they wanted an attractive lead (so how Larry landed the job remained a mystery) surrounded by attractive bachelors/bachelorettes. The producers always had clear frontrunners (Piper had been one of them – the hot, charismatic, successful one), some obvious duds destined to go home on night one (they tended to get wasted and wound up in the pool either fully clothed or completely nude. There was no middle ground), and a wild card or two for drama and ratings. She had decided instantly that she was going to go in with a clear head and an open mind. Of course she wanted a partner who she had chemistry with, but she also wanted to get to know her suitors and for them to know her. After all, she didn't want to end up as a part of just another failed reality TV romance. As cheesy as it sounded, Piper wanted true love.

She daydreamed about all the handsome men and beautiful ladies that would be vying for her attention in a couple days' time. The thought was almost as terrifying as it was thrilling. Yes, she had been on TV before, but she was a supporting character. Now she was the star and all eyes would be on her – judging her every move and decision. Just like her mother. Her driver knocked on the window to alert her that they had arrived. She paid, and generously tipped, before making her way inside the gorgeous house and directly to the bedroom where she got ready for bed. It was just after midnight, and Piper willed her body to fall asleep so she wouldn't look like a zombie when the camera crew arrived in a few hours.

* * *

"I honestly cannot believe you pulled this off, Nic." Alex murmured to her best friend, she she put the finishing touches on her perfectly winged black eyeliner, "I owe you big time."

"Yea, well you better remember that. But I didn't do much. Lorna knows how desperate you are, and the other producers were practically drooling over the headshot we sent in. You're like girl bait. It was a no-brainer." Alex blushed at the unexpected compliment from Nicky. She knew she was hot (the number of notches in her bedpost proved that), but going into the unknown world of reality TV and the expectation of meeting Piper in a few days, having that extra boost of confidence definitely helped. Part of her was scared that she wouldn't be Piper's type and would get sent home immediately. But a larger part of her hoped that they would click instantly, and she wouldn't have to worry about the twenty-something other people competing for the girl of her dreams.

"Oh, Alex - you look beautiful. The camera is going to love you." Lorna popped into the makeshift dressing room and gushed. "We're just about ready to start shooting, so come on out whenever you're ready."

"Babe, be real. Vause came out when she was like nine." Alex answered Nicky's snarky remark with a swift punch to the arm, and squeezed past her to hug Lorna.

"Alright, just remember to be yourself. Tell the camera your name, age, and hometown before you get into your job, hobbies, likes, dislikes.." The list the short girl was rattling off was making Alex's head spin. She took a few deep breaths, reassured Lorna that she had it under control, and walked in front of the camera.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks again for the reviews! And now, the eagerly anticipated meeting...

* * *

After filming an entire season with Larry and Polly, being in front of the camera no longer fazed Piper. She could easily forget they were there and focus on being herself and seeing where her new relationships would lead. Or at least that's what she told herself, as she paced back and forth in front of the mansion with the crew and cameras surrounding her. The moment she had been waiting months for was now only minutes away. Piper could just make out the line of limousines at the bottom of the long, winding driveway. She offered a kind smile to Birdie, the host of the show, who she had become fast friends with the previous season. She heard the call that they were rolling, and kicked her smile up a notch for the cameras.

"Welcome back to another season of Happily Ever After. Piper is back with us, and ready for another shot at true love. For the first time in Happily Ever After history, the suitors will be both male and female, and each week Piper will decide who stays, and who goes home." Birdie continued the introduction to the camera, and flashed a smile at Piper. "Piper - I'm so glad you returned, and I know our viewers are, too. You look STUNNING, by the way. Your suitors are in for a real treat. Within minutes of announcing that you were the star this season, the number of tweets was off the charts, girl! I know I'm excited, we know the viewers are excited, but the question of the hour – how are you feeling?"

Piper nervously tucked a strand of wavy blonde hair behind her ear, and smoothed down her form-fitting sapphire blue dress. The dark color made her light hair and eyes really pop, and the cut flattered her tall, runner's body. The slit in the front of the dress accentuated her long, toned legs, and the neckline dipped just low enough to compliment her chest. Piper knew she looked irresistible in the dress that she paired with nude heels and simple, but elegant jewelry. She continued her inner pep talk to bump up her confidence a few pegs, but in the back of her head, she was aware of Birdie talking to the camera and then looking at her expectantly.

"Oh… Thanks, Birdie. It's great to be back here." Piper started apprehensively, "I'm excited too. Last season with Larry was a lot of fun, I made a lot of friends and am thrilled for Polly, but I knew he wasn't the one for me. At this point, I know what I'm looking for and can't wait to meet my suitors." As Piper spoke, her poise grew and she made the camera fall in love with her. "I want to find someone I can really connect with, on multiple levels; someone who just gets me. And for all I know, that person – my future husband or wife – could be in one of those limos right now."

* * *

Alex willed her legs to stop shaking from nerves as she smoothly uncrossed them in the back of the limo, and gazed around the car at her competition, or lack thereof. To her right sat a butch looking girl named Carrie, who ordered everyone in the limo to call her Boo. She was intimidating, and Alex hoped Piper wasn't into that type of girl. Next to Boo was a guy who could have been mistaken for a lost puppy. His name was Bayley Baxter, or Baxter Bayley and Alex almost wrote him off, before remembering that Piper's last boyfriend had been sort of goofy looking like this kid. Next were a couple of pretty, but forgettable girls (Alex thought their names were Amanda and Jen, but she could be wrong), followed by a douche nozzle with a 70s porn star mustache who was too busy checking out the girls to introduce himself. Alex let out a sigh of relief, if the other limos were anything like this one, she had nothing to worry about.

Alex tried to peer out the tinted windows of the limo to catch of glimpse of Piper, the mansion, the other limos, or really anything that would give her a clue about where the evening was headed. She could barely make out the taillights of a car in front of them, but didn't detect any headlights behind them, indicating that she was in the final limo. She adjusted her black rimmed glasses, and toyed with the strap on her ruby evening gown. Most people thought red was too bold a choice for the first night, but Alex was not one of those people. She wanted to stand out, and knew how good the deep color looked against her alabaster skin and raven hair. The plunging neckline showed off her ample breasts, and the low back left her multiple tattoos on display. She knew it was the perfect choice to leave Piper breathless. She smiled smugly to herself, and at that moment, a friendly face appeared from behind the driver's partition.

"Hi there, I'm Lorna, but people on set call me Morello. Everyone goes by their last name here. For those of you who don't know me, I'm one of the producers." Lorna smiled at the contestants in the backseat, and winked at Alex. "Come find me if there is anything you need. For now, just sit back and relax. Maybe have a drink to calm the nerves. You're in the last car, and the intros have just started, so it'll be a while before you meet your Bachelorette – whoever she may be!" Lorna finished dramatically. Alex couldn't help but laugh as the girl disappeared back behind the partition.

"Well whoever she is, I hope she's hot!" Boo added, leaning forward to make sure everyone in the limo had their attention on her.

"Amen, sister." Pornstache reached out to give Boo a fist bump, but she just stared at his outstretched hand like it was roadkill. He ignored the gesture, and kept talking. "Name's Mendez. I'm a bit of an Alpha, so you ladies better just sit back and let the real men take the lead here." Alex rolled her eyes at the pig, secure in the fact that someone like Piper would see right through him. Their limo moved forward, and Alex's heartbeat sped up, knowing she was that much closer to meeting Piper.

* * *

Piper tried to keep the smile plastered on her face as the next limo pulled up the driveway. She had only made it through one car, and her face already hurt. There were six people in each limo, and four limos lined up. The first person out of the car was a pretty, dark-skinned girl named Poussey with an awesome sense of humor. She had instantly put Piper at ease, and she felt comfortable around her already. But Piper didn't want comfort. She wanted sparks and fireworks and adventure and passion. As sweet as Poussey seemed, Piper didn't think she would find that with her. Next was a tall, handsome man named John. He was a war veteran and Piper loved a guy in uniform. She made a note to find him during the cocktail party to get to know him better. Following him was another guy named Greg, who wasn't as cute as John, but seemed nice. Next was a Japanese girl named Brooke, who talked so much that Piper barely had a chance to introduce herself. She promised to talk to her later, and ran inside after the others. The next two guys weren't as memorable. She wanted to say their names were Brad and Jake, but she honestly wasn't sure. They looked like they had been cloned from the same Ken doll, and cringed thinking about the anatomy the dolls lacked..

As the second limo approached, Piper turned away from the camera to stretch her jaw and get ready for the next round of meetings. The first car wasn't bad, but it could have been better. It also could have been a lot worse, she thought. Her thoughts froze, as one of the most attractive men Piper had ever seen got out of the vehicle and approached her. He flashed her a dazzling smile, introduced himself as Shawn, and brought her hand to his lips for a kiss. They made small talk for a few minutes, as he shyly admitted that he watched all of the previous season and hoped she would be the lead. She thanked him with a tight hug (damn, he worked out) and promised to see him inside. Piper's eyes followed Shawn's rear end as he walked away from her. When she realized the camera was capturing all of this, she blushed profusely and focused on the limo again.

And boy was she glad she did. Piper watched as a long tan leg poked out of the limo, followed by a beautiful woman in a black dress. She had short, dark hair and mischievous blue, (or were they green?) eyes. Piper smiled wickedly as she saw the woman's eyes rake up and down her body, and returned the action, liking what she saw. Both of her arms were covered in colorful tattoos, and Piper even noticed some on her neck and chest as her gaze lingered. When they finally were within inches of each other, the woman finally opened her mouth and surprised Piper.

"I'm Stella, and you're beautiful." She stated in an Australian accent. Piper liked her. She definitely had that spark she was waiting for, and couldn't wait to get to know her better.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Stella. I'm Piper, and I will definitely catch up with you later." She went in for a hug and felt Stella gently squeeze her, and graze a hand over her ass, before turning away with a sexy wink.

Piper was on a high from meeting Shawn and Stella that she floated through the rest of the introductions from the second limo, and made a mental note to track them down later in the night, to make sure she didn't miss out on anything. Piper realized that she was halfway through meeting her suitors as Lorna quickly ran out from behind the camera line with a few members of the make-up team for touch ups.

"So, what do you think so far? Anyone catch your eye yet?" Lorna asked, eager for gossip.

"Definitely. Have you seen some of these people?! Stella and Shawn are both really hot. Poussey seemed really cool, too. Oh, and that military guy from the first car. And I can't believe I'm already forgetting some of their names, and there are still twelve left - how am I supposed to do this?" She asked, as one of the make-up artists touched up her mascara while the other blotted her forehead, that was beading with sweat.

"No worries, honey. You'll get headshots of all of your suitors, along with a mini-bio so you can keep them all sorted, and not call out the wrong name at the elimination ceremony." Lorna explained, as Piper visibly relaxed. "But I agree. Pretty good lineup so far. And I have it on very good authority that the best is yet to come." She nonchalantly added, knowing that Alex was waiting anxiously in the final limo. The girls left Piper on her mark, as the third limo pulled up.

The first girl out the car leered at Piper possessively before approaching to introduce herself as Sylvie. She was pretty, but Piper definitely sensed a stalker vibe radiating off the redhead. She hoped the crazy train would stop there, but then barked out a laugh as the door to the limo opened and a loud voice called out, "Before I met you, the sun was like a yellow grape. But now it looks like fire in the sky. Why? Because you light a fire inside me." The owner of the voice, a woman named Suzanne in a dark purple dress, basically ran up to Piper and pulled her into a hug. "I wrote that for you, Dandelion. Do you mind if I call you Dandelion? I'm so excited we finally met!"

"It's very nice to meet you, too, Suzanne." Piper replied, still trapped in the woman's clutches. "And this has been great. But I have a lot more people to meet, so why don't you head inside the house? We can hug more later." She reasoned, hoping that Suzanne would get the hint. Thankfully, she did, and waved to Piper all the way into the mansion.

"Can we hug more later, too?" The unexpected voice made Piper spin around and trip over her own feet. Luckily, a strong pair of arms was there to catch her. "Actually, looks like I already swept you off your feet. I'm Chase." Piper smiled up at the pair of warm brown eyes in the man's face and thanked him for catching her.

"That could have ended really badly, so thank you. But it was also your fault that I fell, so the jury is still out on the hugging." As Piper stood up to get a better look at him, she realized he was really cute, and quite charming. Despite her previous statement, Piper leaned into Chase for another hug, before sending him into the house with a grin. After Chase, was a guy who reminded Piper of Larry. His name was Will and he seemed shy but definitely excited at the prospect of dating Piper. Piper couldn't believe her eyes as the door opened again and she recognized the face staring back at her.

"Holy shit, Pipes! What are you doing here?" Piper laughed and pulled Erika into a tight hug.

"Oh my God, Rikki. You have no idea how good it is to see a friendly face!" Erika and Piper had gone to high school together, and were on the JV field hockey team as the only freshmen. They had instantly bonded but lost touch when Erika's parents transferred her to a Catholic school. "You sure have grown up since high school." She added, appreciatively.

"I could say the same to you, Chapman. I guess I'll be seeing you around" Piper watched as Erika disappeared inside, before turning back to the limo. The last passenger of the car basically flew at Piper before picking her up to spin her around. Dave was the stereotypical party boy, and as fun as that type of guy was in college, Piper had pretty much outgrown that phase. Piper smiled as Birdie came into the picture again.

"Well, Piper. You're down to the last limo. You have six more suitors to meet before the cocktail party starts. What are your thoughts so far?"

"It's a totally different experience being on this side of things, it's kind of overwhelming, but it's looking good so far. There are definitely some people I'm interested in getting to know better, But I still can't wait to meet my final six." With that, Birdie disappeared again, and the final limo came to a stop in front of Piper. Before the door opened, Piper felt something pull at her inside. The gut feeling that told her that something special was about to happen. Even though she was eager to get inside and connect more with some of the previous suitors, that feeling kept her feet planted as her heart beat in anticipation of what was to come.

Almost as soon as that feeling came, it disappeared when a tall man with a creepy moustache exited the vehicle. He looked like a cop, or a guy who played a cop in pornos. Piper tried as politely as she could to have as little physical contact with the guy as possible, who said his name was Mendez, and literally puffed out his chest like a gorilla or some animal asserting its dominance. After him was a cute girl named Jen - who appeared to be exactly the type of girl Piper would have fun casually hooking up with. She definitely wasn't here for true love, and was most likely just looking for her fifteen minutes of fame. Following Jen was an adorable boy named Baxter. Piper referred to him as a boy (and not a man) because he bore a striking resemblance to the Gerber Baby. She would have to remember his name was Baxter, and not actually Gerber. Next was Amanda. Piper gave herself a lot more credit this time around for remembering all of the names. Amanda was young, pretty, and was even more nervous than Piper. She had clearly never been the center of attention before and was shaking like a leaf from the moment she stepped out of the limo (although stumbled would be more appropriate) until she made her way into the house. Piper tried not to deflate as her second to last suited stepped out of the car. Piper had never been into butch girls, and Carrie - or Boo as she called herself - was no exception. If Piper was being honest, she was a little bit scared of the woman who hugged her tightly, and cringed when Boo whispered some suggestive things in her ear before leaving Piper.

This was it. The final limo had been a bust, and there was only one person left for Piper to meet before the cocktail part. At this point, Piper was resigned to the fact that the butterflies in her stomach from earlier had been a fluke, and she would make due with the suitors from the previous cars. Not that she was complaining - there were definitely a lot of promising options. But something inside nagged Piper that there should have been something more. Her thoughts were interrupted, again, as the most beautiful woman Piper had ever seen gracefully got out of the car.

"Fuck me."

* * *

Alex showed off her trademark smirk at the blonde's first impression of her. It was precisely the reaction what she was going for. Piper's unexpected outburst mirrored Alex's thoughts exactly. As soon as they laid eyes on each other for the first time, Alex instantly pictured having Piper writhing under her in bed. Her body was in fantastic shape, which was always a plus when it came to potential partners, because Alex had a healthy sexual appetite. She could not stop visualizing the two of them wrapped around each other in throes of passion. Piper's sexy dress was certainly not helping reign in Alex's now raging libido. It took Alex a moment to regain her composure. Piper was even more breathtaking in person than she was on TV, and she was still ten feet away. Alex allowed her feet to propel her towards the object of her affection, who had turned an adorable shade of red after realizing she had stated her thoughts out loud.

Before Alex could properly introduce herself, Piper cleared her throat and whispered, "Who are you?" That was not quite the reaction she had expected, but she answered Piper's query in a voice that was much huskier than it usually was.

"My name is Alex." Piper felt her pupils dilate, if that was even possible. Not only was the woman standing before her absolutely gorgeous, and capable of rendering Piper completely speechless, but she had without a doubt, the sexiest voice that had ever graced her ears. As soon as Alex opened her mouth, Piper's core clenched, and her mind flashed with images of Alex's sweet lips whispering the most sensual and erotic things she had ever heard. These images progressed into scenes of Alex and Piper ravaging each other, desire exploding off of them in waves. Piper shook her head to clear it of the not unwelcome thoughts, and composed herself just enough to continue with the introduction.

It was abundantly clear to Lorna, and the rest of the crew watching the scene unfold, that something was going on between Alex and Piper. The pair continued to talk, and move closer and closer to each other until they were almost touching. Lorna felt giddy as she witnessed her two friends fall in love at first sight. The sexual tension between the two filled the air, as the conversation flowed on, both having forgotten that they were being filmed for a TV show. The crew, cameras, and equipment disappeared into the background, as Piper's blue eyes connected with Alex's green ones again and again. Alex would say something suggestive, Piper would blush and playfully push her away, and she would unfailingly return, closer than she was before.

Piper was in heaven. She had never connected with someone on so many levels before. They talked about books, and cooking, and traveling, noting they shared many of the same interests. Alex was more than just beautiful. Her wit, sarcastic sense of humor, and intelligence turned Piper on immensely. She found herself waiting for something - for Alex to ask for her number, or to kiss her, or to pick her up and carry her to the nearest room to give in to their mutual desire. A sudden movement behind Alex's head caught Piper's eye and reality came crashing down. It was the director waving his arms and pointing at his watch because this was a TV show. Piper and Alex hasn't just casually met at a bar or at Starbucks. They couldn't run away together because there was a house full of people waiting to talk to Piper. She sighed, and sadly ended the conversation with Alex with a hug, and what a hug it was. Piper fit into the taller woman's arms perfectly. Alex enveloped her and didn't want to let go. It felt like they had known each other for years, instead of only minutes. They stood there, completely absorbed in each other, before reluctantly releasing and parting ways without breaking eye contact.

Birdie returned from the sidelines, and smiled reassuringly at her friend before focusing on the camera. "Piper has finally met all of her suitors, and sparks are already flying. Unfortunately, eight of them will be going home tonight. Piper - you have twenty-four eligible bachelors and bachelorettes waiting for you inside, and it's time for the cocktail hour to begin. Have fun!"


	4. Chapter 4

I'm glad you guys are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it. And I know nobody likes Stella, and we just want all Vauseman all the time (which we will get to, eventually, I promise). But there's is going to be some drama first...

* * *

Piper took a deep breath, and rested her head on Lorna's shoulder. "Relax, sweetie, you're doing great. The hard part is over. Now you get to have a few drinks, and chat up all the cutie pies waiting for you in there." She giggled as Lorna poked her in the ribs. "Go find your soulmate!"

"Yea, I guess it's now or never." Piper sat up straight and ran her hands through her hair. "Thanks, Lorna - you really are the best. When's Nicky coming around?"

"You know she wouldn't miss this for the world - she'll be here any minute with my dinner. Now quit stalling, and get your butt in there." After another reassuring hug from her friend, Piper strode towards the house. As she closed the distance between herself and the twenty-four singles waiting to mingle, Piper realized she had to get her shit together. She was seconds away from walking into a room filled with a bunch of strangers who were competing for her affection. She remembered how crazy the first night on Larry's season was, and hoped to avoid some of that drama. She could do this. All she had to do was make time for each contestant, talk with them just enough to see if there was chemistry, and make a mental list of who to send home so she wasn't winging it during the elimination ceremony. Already she noticed a flaw in her plan - it only allotted her a few minutes with each suitor. That meant she would only have a few minutes with Alex. Maybe she could make some snap judgements on the ones she knew wouldn't work out - Boo, Mendez, and some of the other forgettable candidates - and bank that time for Alex. New plan - forget about everyone else, and hunt down the alluring woman so they could pick up where they left off earlier. But that would never work. It was a TV show, and one of the meddling producers would push the other contestants in her direction, so the alone time with Alex would be ruined.

Before she knew it, Piper was at the door. She threw a smile over her shoulder for the cameras, and entered the house.

* * *

Alex sipped her champagne, and studied the other occupants of the room. She wanted something stronger, but knew it was best for her to keep a clear head on the first night. Some of the others did not share the same feeling. She watched as a guy and girl from an earlier limo matched each other shot for shot, and another guy slammed down an empty bottle of what clearly was not his first beer. Alex chuckled to herself before feeling someone approach her from the side.

"Can you believe some of these idiots? Getting smashed when they know they're about to be judged by a beautiful woman? Although, she has nothing on you." The stranger winked at Alex. "I'm Sylvie."

"Alex. And they're probably just nervous about being on TV" Alex tried to ignore the last comment. Sylvie was pretty good looking, but Alex only had eyes for Piper.

"Mmm, maybe." Sylvie slid her stool closer to Alex. "So what's a knockout like you doing on a show like this? Hard to believe you have trouble with the ladies"

Alex was starting to get uncomfortable. Piper could enter the room at any minute, and she didn't want to miss a second with her, or worse - if Piper saw how close Sylvie was sitting to Alex and the looks she was giving her, she would definitely get the wrong idea. "Uh, thanks.. I do alright." Alex flinched as she felt Sylvie's hand on her thigh. "But I'm really just interested in getting to know Pipe-"

Alex was interrupted by a round of applause as Piper entered the room. Her face was shining red with the blush that Alex had come to love. But her eyes were blazing. Alex followed them to Sylvie's hand, still firmly placed on her leg.

"Oh, shit." Alex cursed and grabbed Sylvie's offending hand to fling it off her thigh. "Piper!" But her shout could not be heard over the commotion in the crowded room, as she jumped off her bar stool.

"Whoa, take it easy, babe. Unless you're into the rough stuff - that can be arranged." Sylvie purred.

"Stay the fuck away from me, bitch!" Alex shot back in Sylvie's face. "Or I swear, you'll regret it." She added menacingly. Alex was just glad that the cameras were all too focused on Piper's entrance to catch the brief altercation. She made her way across the room to the spot where Piper had been standing, and only caught sight of her retreating form disappearing around a corner with a tall suitor in tow.

* * *

The second Piper opened the door, she was met with an explosion of cheers, applause, and whistles. She felt her cheeks redden, as her eyes scanned the room, hoping to connect with a pair of gorgeous emerald ones. What her eyes did see made her blood boil. Alex was sitting at the bar with that creepy redhead, who had the nerve to touch Alex in front of her. She was completely frozen. Her first impression of Alex must have been horribly wrong. Piper had never felt sparks with someone like she had when she met Alex, and she thought the feeling was mutual. But that must have been wishful thinking, as Alex wasn't doing a thing to deter Sylvie's affection. She suddenly felt like she was going to be sick. Who did Alex think she was? And why was she doing this to Piper? And why did she care so much about a person she had only spent a few minutes with? Piper blindly grabbed the glass of champagne from one of her suitors outstretched hands, took a huge gulp, and dragged him out of the room, before realizing she must look like a rabid alcoholic, and composing herself.

"Sorry about that. It was just a bit much to take in back there. Thanks for the drink - I definitely needed it." Piper rambled on and racked her brain trying to recall the man's name.

"No problem, Piper. I'm glad I could be of assistance.. Again." The man replied.

Chase! He was the one who had caught her, after causing her to trip earlier in the night. Piper felt herself calm down as she chatted with Chase. He tended to have that effect on her. After learning about his job, some hobbies, and his family, Piper realized that she needed to work on time management if she was going to talk to the other contestants before the elimination later that night. "I hate to do this, but I have to go. I'd love to stay out here all night with you, but that wouldn't be fair to the others."

"Ah, I understand. Go get 'em, tiger!" Piper laughed as she leaned in to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. She liked Chase, and knew she would be keeping him around for awhile. Piper only hoped her other decisions would be that easy, but knew they wouldn't be. She still had over twenty contestants to talk to, some of whom she wanted to stab in the face repeatedly with a hot fork, and some she wanted to run away to a beach in Cambodia with, and there was currently one who fell into both of those categories.

* * *

"If she wanted to talk to me, she would talk to me. She's probably going to send me home for something I didn't even do, or want!" Alex was on the verge of tears as she ranted to Lorna and Nicky.

"Hey, hey.. Piper isn't like that at all. She'll come around. I can tell she likes you - it's all over her pretty little face." Lorna attempted to comfort her friend.

"Yea, and besides if she does give you the boot, think of all the consolation sex you can have with the other losers!" Nicky added, earning herself a jab in the ribs from Lorna and a death glare from Alex.

"Don't listen to them. If your woman doesn't come to you - you go find her and make things right." They didn't notice Red appear behind them with a tray of food. "But before you do, have a vatrushka. It'll make you feel better." She winked, offering Alex a pastry.

"Thanks, Red. You're right. I'll see you guys later." And with that, she disappeared back into the house, in search of Piper.

* * *

"Seriously, I owe you one." Piper thanked Erika for rescuing her from an awkward conversation with Brad, one of the suitors from her first limo. "He was so dull, I was biting my cheek to stop myself from yawning."

"That's what I'm here for. Besides, I could tell I wasn't interrupting anything major. You're not going to click with everybody here. So might as well get the duds out of the way quick" She smiled back. "So, who else is going home besides that guy?"

"Ha! No way am I spoiling that for you. You'll just have to wait and see, like everybody else. But honestly, I don't think I can answer that yet. There are so many people here, and I haven't even properly talked to them all yet. I'll have to pick names out of a hat or something" But after a beat, Piper had a better idea. "Unless you're interested in a top secret mission?" The wheels were turning now. She could use Erika as a mole to find out more about the contestants. Namely Alex. And Sylvie. And find out what the fuck was going on there.

"Oh, I'm intrigued. But we'll have to pick this up later. Someone wants to talk to you." Erika winked at Alex, who she had spotted slowly approaching the bench they were sitting on, before hugging Piper and whispering, "I know this one's a keeper" into her ear. Erika wasn't stupid, or blind. She had noticed that most of the contestant introductions had lasted a minute or two, but at least a solid five minutes had passed when Alex entered. She also saw the way Piper's eyes scoped out the room, as if looking for something very specific, and then the anger (and possible jealousy) in them when she saw Alex with Sylvie. "You kids have fun!" She added as she made her way back into the house.

Piper beamed at Alex when she realized the tall, raven-haired woman was the one waiting for her attention. Alex was instantly relieved, maybe she had misread the entire situation, maybe she had gotten lucky and Piper hadn't seen Sylvie groping her thigh. But her luck ran out, as Piper's smile transformed into a snarl, "Where's your girlfriend?"


	5. Chapter 5

Now time for the confrontation.. This was a fun chapter..  
Update: Made a few quick edits...

* * *

Alex adjusted her glasses as she shifted nervously in front of Piper. Obviously the blonde was not going to let this go, so Alex had to convince her that what she had seen was nothing. This was easier said than done, for multiple reasons. 1. Alex had never been great at expressing her feelings verbally. Physically? Yes. But her words sometimes failed her when her emotions were involved. And 2. Piper clearly had a temper. Alex had hoped that she would have cooled off a bit after some time had passed and she talked to the other contestants. But judging by the way Piper was still shooting daggers at her (and the bitchy girlfriend comment), Alex realized she had a long road ahead. But she wasn't a quitter. When Alex wanted something - she went for it, and usually got it. And in this case, she wanted Piper, so she was going to get her - no matter what. With that thought in mind, Alex squared her shoulders, and took a seat next to Piper, leaving more space than she wanted between them.

"So, I guess we need to talk." Alex began and saw Piper roll her eyes. This was not off to a good start, but at this point Alex had nothing to lose. "Look, I know you're angry, and I have a pretty good idea why, but I just need you to hear me out, and then you can go ahead kick my ass out of here."

Piper didn't want to listen. She wanted to rage, and yell, and scream, and beat the ever loving shit out of Sylvie. Another part of her wanted to cry, and needed a hug. And a final part was completely distracted by how beautiful the dark haired woman looked when she was being vulnerable, and momentarily distracted at the mention of Alex's ass. Piper remembered that she was still pissed off, but at least needed to hear Alex's side of the story so she wouldn't come across as a completely heartless bitch. "Ok, so talk."

After fidgeting with her glasses again, Alex pushed them on top of her head. It was her signature _I mean business_ move. "Piper…" Her voice cracked, but she wasn't about to let her emotions get the better of her. _Get it together, Vause_ , she told herself. She cleared her throat and started again. "Piper. I need you to know that I like you. A lot. Probably more than I've ever liked anyone. I am one hundred percent here for you, and don't want anyone or anything to come in the way of our relationship." Alex almost stumbled over the r-word, because she really wasn't the relationship type. But she wanted that with Piper, and needed her to know. "That bitch out there means nothing to me. And I'm sorry if It was just bad timing - she started groping my leg as you walked in, and you were gone before you missed me almost rip her fucking arm off and beat her with it. So, in the midst of all of this, I'm also going to ask you a favor - send that skank home. Because if she sticks around much longer, the bitch is gonna get cut." Alex paused and heard Piper chuckle. So there was hope for them after all!

"I know we only met like twenty seconds ago, but I feel like I've known you so much longer. You feel inevitable to me, like even if I do go home tonight, we'll run into each other at Whole Foods, or Starbucks, or a fucking gas station. But not in a creepy, stalker way. More like a soul mate kind of way. I know it's cheesy to say, but you get me. I've never connected with anyone the way I did with you when I got out of that limo." Alex saw Piper's eyes widen, and hoped that was a good sign. She had unknowingly echoed exactly what Piper had said she was hoping to get out of this experience. "Like I've never been the relationship type, Piper, but with you I can't help but picture it. Our future - dating and getting married, maybe kids. God, my friends are not gonna let me live that down. But I want that, Piper. And I want it with you. Piper, from the fir-" Alex couldn't speak another word. Her mouth had totally frozen, and her brain had yet to determine the cause.

* * *

Piper couldn't help it. As soon as Alex had started speaking, Piper wanted to kiss her. Ok, so that wasn't entirely true. Piper wanted to kiss Alex (and do so much more) from the second she saw the tall woman step out of the limo, earlier in the evening. And then, as the pair was introduced and continued to talk, Piper found herself working harder and harder to keep her lips and hands to herself. Finally, after the emotional roller coaster that the cocktail party had been thus far, Piper's resolve cracked. Alex had apologized for her getting the wrong idea about Sylvie, and then proceeded to blow Piper's mind with her honesty and feelings. Each word that left Alex's lips knocked down Piper's walls, until she was left staring at Alex, in a daze. As she was talking, Piper found herself shifting closer and closer to Alex. She almost couldn't believe that someone as beautiful and intelligent as Alex was so into her, and it was now clear that they felt the same way about each other. So Piper did the only thing she could do to break the trance and convey her feelings back.

Piper subconsciously licked her lips, then closed the gap between her and Alex by firmly pressing their lips together. She felt herself moan at the contact, as she continued to move her mouth over Alex's before realizing that Alex wasn't participating. Now it was her turn to freeze. She put a millimeter of space between them and tried not to hyperventilate. She tried unsuccessfully to slow down her breathing. Didn't Alex want this? The stunned look on Alex's face gave Piper pause, but as soon as she saw Alex's eyes smolder and flick down to Piper's lips, she knew she was wrong. Her cheeks warmed as their eyes met again. She saw Alex lean in, so she closed her eyes and waited for the soft pressure of the other woman's lips on her. Piper felt more than heard Alex whisper, "Guess my apology has been accepted?" as she connected their mouths again.

Piper was too preoccupied to answer. She wanted to shoot back some sarcastic comment she knew Alex would love, but her head was too busy spinning from the intensity of the kiss to focus on anything else. The only things keeping her grounded were Alex's kisses, and the feeling of the long, silky hair that was entwined around her hands, and yet she craved more. She tightened her grip with one hand and massaged the back of Alex's head with the other. Message received. Alex tilted her head to deepen the kiss, causing Piper to moan again. She seized the opportunity to push her tongue inside the blonde woman's mouth and stroke Piper's tongue with her own. Alex could taste the champagne, and the light fruity notes would forever be associated with Piper and this kiss. Their first real kiss.

Alex had kissed her fair share of women in her day, but none of them compared to Piper. The woman was taking over her senses. From the look she gave Alex before kissing her the first time, to the sensual sounds escaping her mouth, to the delectable taste of her tongue and lips, and finally the soft but firm touches being exchanged, Alex was in sensory overload. She was always the one in control, but Piper had turned her world upside down, from only a few brief moments of making out. Normally, Alex would be freaking out over losing control like this, but with Piper, she couldn't get enough. She snaked one hand from Piper's knee, squeezing gently, up her thigh, blazing a trail the blonde would be feeling hours later. The path continued up her side, barely grazing the side of one boob, before stretching around her shoulder and landing on Piper's neck. All the while, her other hand tensed and rubbed teasing patterns along the exposed skin of Piper's back. Alex moaned deeply, as she felt Piper return her passion.

Piper didn't consider herself to be a very sexual person. Sure, she'd been in a few serious relationships, and had her fair share of casual encounters, but it usually took a good amount of foreplay to get her really riled up. With Alex, her sex drive was skyrocketing - and all they had done was kiss so far. Piper's entire body was on fire from just a few minutes with Alex. Every time the woman's talented tongue massaged hers, her core clenched tightly and goosebumps erupted across her skin. She pressed her thighs together, hoping to alleviate some of the pressure down there, but that only resulted in her moaning and craving more of Alex's touch. Piper surprised herself when she felt some of her wetness clinging to her thighs. If Alex could turn her on this much from just a steamy make out session in front of a camera, imagine what the woman could do behind closed doors.

The intense kiss was all that existed for the couple. Well, that and the obnoxious shout of, "Hey! Save it for the fantasy suite, Chapman! Hey, Vause - glad to see you were able to kiss and make-up!" Alex and Piper reluctantly broke apart,their foreheads still resting against each other. In the distance they could make out the sound of Lorna's high pitched voice yelling at her girlfriend, and Nicky chuckling in response.

"Is she a friend of yours?" Piper smiled at Alex before giving her another chaste peck on the lips.

"Huh? Oh, Nicky?" It took Alex a beat to come back down to earth. "Yea, you could say that." She answered cryptically. Alex had told herself she would come clean about knowing Piper's identity, and pulling strings with Lorna and Nicky after their relationship had progressed a little further.

Piper's smile faltered for a second, knowing there was definitely more to the story, before it was firmly back in place. "So, when do I get to see you again?"

Alex laughed, "Well, in any other situation I'd say you can see a lot more of me tonight, " she winked, "But seeing as we're currently on a reality dating show that you control, that ball is firmly in your court." With one last kiss, Alex left Piper to her own devices and went back into the mansion.

* * *

Doing the math in her head, Piper realized there was still a handful of contestants left to talk to before the elimination ceremony. She had a mental list of who would definitely be staying - Alex (duh), Erika, Poussey, Stella, Chase, Shawn, and John - as well as a list of who was going home - Sylvie (couldn't leave soon enough), Mendez, Boo, Suzanne, and some people whose name's she still had to track down. Piper made her way back into the house, thankfully undetected by some of her less than desirable suitors, and straight to the bar. It was here that she was easily able to add to the list of contestants being eliminated.

She witnessed two of her suitors, one male and one female, continue to knock back shot after shot. They clearly had been at it a while, as they were barely sitting up on their stools, and had yet to notice her staring at them. Piper searched the room for a familiar face, and excitedly waved Suzanne over. The girl met her eyes from across the room, and seemed confused as to why Piper was summoning her. She continued to gesture, and eventually Suzanne crossed the room to join her.

"Suzanne! Oh, Suzanne, thanks for coming over. What can you tell me about these two?" Piper pointed at the inebriated pair to their left.

"Nice to see you too, Dandelion." Suzanne tipped an imaginary hat at her. "Uh, that's Marc and Amber. And they have been enjoying the open bar, as you can see, very much." Piper watched as Suzanne glanced around the room and leaned in a little more, before lowering her voice. "Real talk, Marc and George," She indicated the guy known as Mendez talking to a group of girls in the next room, "are not here for the right reasons. So if you don't want to talk to them, you let me know, and they won't bother you anymore. I got your back, Dandelion."

Maybe Piper's first impression of Suzanne was wrong. She wasn't interested in her romantically, but she seemed sweet and genuine. Piper gave Suzanne a kind smile, and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Suzanne. I'll see you later." As Piper turned to get up, she was met with a pair of brown puppy dog eyes.

"Umm.. uh, hi.. Hi Piper." Baxter stammered. He was really nervous. "Can I, um.. Steal you for, uh, just a minute?" He smiled sheepishly. Piper acquiesced and followed him back outside. They made small talk for a few minutes, and Piper was surprised to learn that Baxter would be entering the Police Academy the following spring. As their conversation flowed comfortably, Piper's attention was drawn away by another man approaching.

"It was great talking to you, Baxter. I'll see you later." She gave the kid a quick kiss on the cheek, and got up to talk to the next suitor. The remainder of the evening passed in a much similar way - she made her way through the house, chatting with the remaining contestants (some more promising than others). Every time she crossed paths with Alex, her heart would speed up, and they would share a secret smile, or let their hands touch each other in passing. It wasn't nearly enough for either of them, but it would have to do for now.

Piper had a few minutes before Birdie was due to reappear and present her with the First Impression Key. Each week, Piper would be handing out small silver keys to the suitors that she would be keeping for the time being. It was supposed to be symbolic of giving someone the key to your heart, or something equally as corny. They were fashioned into lapel pins, so she could easily clip them on to the contestants during the ceremony. She still had a box of them at home somewhere from her time on the show with Larry. The First Impression Key was slightly larger, and gold. It was to be presented to the suitor who had made the best first impression, blah blah blah.. Piper already knew it was going to Alex, although without fail, every other contender thought they had it in the bag.

As Piper was making her way to Alex, to steal a few more precious moments with her before Birdie's return, she was intercepted by Stella. She shot Alex an apologetic smile, and allowed the Australian to lead her into another room.

* * *

Alex refused to admit defeat. She watched Piper exit with Stella, and turned on her heel to cut them off another way. She stopped for a minute to check herself out in the hall mirror - hair: perfect; lips: flawless; eyes: blazing. Then, she confidently strode into the room just as Stella was moving in to kiss Piper. To Alex's delight, Piper practically leapt off the couch so the only thing Stella's lips touched was air.

"Sorry, Crocodile Dundee. I need to talk to Piper." And with that, Alex grabbed Piper by the hand and led her back into the hallway, without a second glance back at Stella. Before Piper could ask Alex what the hell was going on, or tell her how incredibly hot that power play was, she was slammed into the wall by Alex's tall body. Her head instinctively leaned back to grant Alex access to her neck, which she began covering in wet kisses, as their bodies melded together. "God, Pipes. I want to mark you so bad." She purred into Piper's neck, lightly grazing her teeth along the skin below her ear. Piper's only response was to release another moan, and spread her legs as much as she could in her tight dress to give Alex room to move between them. "But you were too busy talking to that fucking tattooed kangaroo." Her eyes flew open as a strong knee pushed up against her now throbbing mound, through her dress. What her eyes met made her shiver in anticipation.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks again for the reviews/faves/follows! I'll try to update as frequently as possible. Let me know if you have any ideas for Piper's dates!

* * *

Alex had strategically placed them directly across from the full length mirror she had checked herself out in a few moments earlier. From her vantage point, wedged between the opposite wall and Alex's lithe frame, Piper had the perfect view of Alex ravaging her - she had never seen anything so hot. Piper almost didn't recognize herself - her pupils were so dilated that she couldn't see any blue around them and her mouth was hanging open in pleasure. Alex's hands had made themselves at home over Piper's breasts, and had already succeeded in transforming her nipples into hard little peaks. She switched between kneading the curves, and sharply pinching the nipples to keep Piper on edge. The only body parts Piper seemed to have control over were her hands, which were currently preoccupied with mapping Alex's backside. Alex growled against Piper's collarbone, and gently bit down, as the blonde squeezed her ass then raked her fingernails up her back. She felt Piper gradually increase the pressure against her knee, and began thrusting back harder to give her the friction she craved.

Piper was quickly coming undone. Alex was working her body in all the rights ways, and had maneuvered her leg through the slit in Piper's dress to gain more skin-to-skin contact. Her knee continued to push against Piper's damp panties, and Alex smirked as she felt more wetness seep out of Piper with each drive of her leg. But she wanted to give Piper more. Alex followed Piper's arms, and swiftly grabbed her hands to force them above her head. She trapped Piper's wrists against the wall in her left hand, and used the right to cup Piper's chin as she consumed Piper's mouth with her own. Alex pushed her tongue into Piper's waiting mouth and greedily sought to taste everything she had to offer. She moved her hand down Piper's body, roughly massaging her breasts again, before moving lower to trace along her thighs. Piper whimpered when Alex lowered her knee away from her throbbing center, causing Alex to grin. Alex lowered her hands, and released Piper's lips to look into her eyes and saw sadness starting to overtake the lust that had been there seconds earlier.

She placed her hands on Piper's cheeks, sweetly cupping the beautiful girl's face. "Aww, baby, you didn't think I was done with you yet, did you?" Before Piper could form a response, Alex captured her lips again, even rougher than the last time. Piper was more than eager to reciprocate, attacking Alex's lips with her teeth, and earning a deep groan from Alex when she sunk her teeth into her plump bottom lip. "We're just getting started." The kiss persisted and escalated until they mutually decided that keeping themselves attached at the mouth was more important than oxygen. Piper's hands wove into Alex's hair and held her head in place, as she attempted to gain some control in the kiss. Alex allowed Piper to have the upper hand for a few more minutes, before thrusting her tongue back into the battle for dominance. She danced her hands back down Piper's toned body, committing every curve to memory. In the back of her mind, Alex was aware that anyone (a producer, cameraman, or another contestant) could stroll down the hallway and witness them in a very compromising position, but couldn't bring herself to care. Plus the idea of getting caught in the act was kind of a turn on. Alex wasn't one hundred percent sure how Piper would feel about that, so she sped up her actions so they could return to the cocktail hour, hopefully unnoticed.

Alex sensed that Piper was on the verge of an orgasm. She had been panting pretty heavily since the encounter started, and Alex had been playing her body like a professional musician. She probably could have cum earlier, with Alex's knee between her legs, but Alex thought she could do better. Not breaking the kiss, she positioned one hand around Piper's shoulder, for leverage, and the other inside Piper's thighs and began massaging there, leaving no question as to what was coming (or cumming) next. She allowed a moment for Piper to give her any indication that she didn't want to continue.

"God, Al.. Don't stop." Was the breathy response. Alex used her fingers to gather the wetness that was now completely coating Piper's legs, and pushing Piper's useless panties out of the way, expertly swiped through her folds. "M-more, Alll..mmm.. Exxx.." She got the hint and gently pushed a well-lubricated digit inside Piper's tight pussy. Piper gasped some more words that vaguely sounded like Alex's name, and she picked up a steady rhythm of pumping with one finger. Piper was glad that Alex had the foresight to hold her up with her other arm, because she was quickly becoming lightheaded, and doubted her legs would be able to support her on their own. Alex loved the feeling of Piper clamping down around her, and her other fingers were quickly becoming jealous. She added another finger on the next thrust and made sure to push her tongue into Piper's mouth at that exact moment. "Fuck.. Al-Alex, I'm close." Piper moaned around Alex's tongue, and forced her hips up and down to match Alex thrust for thrust.

Seeing Piper on the brink of climax was without a doubt the sexiest thing Alex had ever seen. She was struggling to keep her eyes open, because the image of Alex fucking her in the mirror was too alluring to miss. When her mouth wasn't occupied by Alex's, it was open, releasing strings of expletives, moans, and Alex's name. Her skin was completely flushed, covered in light marks from Alex's lips and teeth (that would unfortunately be fading before anyone else would see them). The image drove Alex into a frenzy - she needed Piper to cum. Now.

Pulling out slowly, she whispered, "Look at me," to Piper. "I need to see you cum." Alex repositioned her hand, forcing three long fingers inside Piper, and using her thumb to circle her clit. Piper would have shouted out loud, but Alex's mouth was on hers to swallow her passionate screams. Gaining speed, Alex pumped her fingers in and out of Piper, while her thumb increased the movement on her sensitive bundle of nerves. She alternatively twisted and curled her fingers, giving Piper the maximum amount of pleasure. Piper's walls were clenching faster and faster around Alex's hand, and wetness was flowing out of her. "Cum for me. Now, Piper." And with that, Piper exploded around Alex's fingers. Piper's mouth opened in a silent scream, and her head crashed back against the wall, as Alex continued to guide her through her release. She circled her clit one last time, before removing her drenched hand from between Piper's legs, and bending down to push the blonde woman's panties off her legs. "Looks like you won't be needing these anymore." She stated matter-of-factly and neatly tucked them into her cleavage. Alex made sure Piper's eyes were focused solely on her as she slowly licked every drop of Piper's sweet essence from her fingers. "Mmm…" She closed her eyes and moaned at the taste as Piper's eyes widened again.

Without warning, Piper launched herself into Alex's arms, and took advantage of her momentarily startled state to force her tongue into her mouth. Piper had never been crazy about her own flavor before, but tasting it on Alex's lips and tongue was a totally new experience. They continued to kiss passionately for a few more moments, before transitioning to a more lazy style of sliding their tongues against one another. "God, I do not want to go back in there." Piper mumbled as she nestled her forehead into Alex's neck. "You're amazing, you know that?" She added, peppering light kisses from her shoulder to under her ear, and back again.

"I know, kid. Me either." Alex replied tiredly. All she wanted to do now was crawl into bed with Piper and snuggle until they fell asleep in each other's arms. "But reality awaits. And you have a bunch of sad sacks to send home." Piper nodded. She reluctantly stepped out of Alex's grasp, and turned to look in the mirror, when her jaw dropped. Piper's perfectly styled hair was now wild, her expertly applied make-up smudged, and her neck and chest were covered in light love bites that her disheveled dress was doing nothing to cover.

"Oh my God, Alex! How am I supposed to go out there looking like this?! I'm fucked!" Piper had no luck fixing her hair or make-up.

"Well, to be fair.. I did jus-" Piper slapped Alex's arm when the brunette laughed at her outburst. All Alex had to do was adjust her dress and touch up her lipstick, then slid her glasses back on to her nose, and she looked as flawless as she had at the beginning of the evening. "Relax, Pipes! I'll go find Lorna, and send her this way. And don't worry about the other contestants, I'll cover for you. Trust me." With one last lingering kiss, and a quick wink, Alex marched off in the direction of the bar.

"Ok, I do. But hurry!"

* * *

"What'd I miss?" Alex asked Erika as she slipped back into the room where the contestants were all gathered. She had managed to find Lorna quickly, and discreetly tell her that Piper needed a hair and make-up touch up ASAP (she didn't say why, but Alex could tell Lorna was on to them), before joining the others. Erika was one of the few contestants who actually seemed like a friendly, normal human being. Plus she had overheard Erika tell Piper that she was a keeper when she was talking to her earlier. She was ok in Alex's book.

"Hm? Oh, not too much. We've all just been having some drinks, getting to know each other a bit. Don't worry, there's so many people here that no one noticed you and Chapman were the only two missing." Erika winked at her. "Then a few minutes ago, Birdie came in looking for her, so I said she was out by the pool."

"Uh, thanks. But I wasn't with Piper. My contacts were dry so I just had to-" Alex stumbled for an excuse.

"Oh yea? You're wearing glasses." Erika shot back. "Calm down, dude. As gorgeous as Piper is, I know love when I see it. I'm a firm supporter of Team Vauseman now. But I'll be sticking around to make sure you don't fuck over my friend." The shorter woman nudged Alex with her shoulder. "Come with me. From the look of those scratches on your back, Piper is going to need a few minutes before she's camera ready, and I have a first aid kit in my room."

Alex followed her new friend out of the room, and stole a glance down the hallway previously occupied by her and Piper, but it was empty. Lorna must have whisked her away to make her presentable again, and was probably conducting a thorough interrogation. She just hoped for Piper's sake that Nicky didn't find them. Erika made small talk with Alex, and she cleaned and tended to the scratches. Alex learned about their time in high school together, and imagined what Piper would have been like back then. She seemed like a really cool person, and was glad to have her on her side.

"So, Vauseman, huh?" Alex laughed. "Real original." She tried to play it off like it was a lame nickname, but she secretly loved it.

"I know. Now let's get back out there. Piper is waiting!"

* * *

Piper did one final check in the infamous mirror. She blushed just thinking of the reflection she saw in it earlier when she and Alex were wrapped around each other. When Lorna had found her in the hallway, and led her to a different room where her hair and make-up team was waiting, she had expected a line of questioning asking for details and feelings and things she wasn't ready to share. However, as the girls adjusted her hair, and reapplied some make-up, Lorna just stood there smiling. "Looks like you're having a pleasant evening."

"Yes, I think it's going well." Piper formally replied, knowing Lorna knew more than she was letting on.

"Good! We're just about done here, so you can get back to your suitors now, and hand out the First Impression Key." Piper thought she heard Lorna add "to Alex." under her breath as she was walking away.

Birdie met Piper in the hallway outside the room where the contestants were now gathered, and gave her a knowing smile, before leading her in. "Hello again, ladies and gentlemen. By this time, all of you should have had the chance to get to know Piper a little bit better. Before the cocktail hour comes to an end, and we start the elimination ceremony, I'll leave you with this." Birdie presented the First Impression Key to Piper. It was a beautifully detailed golden key, resting on a velvet pillow the exact color of Alex's dress (as if she needed another sign to keep Alex around). Piper gingerly picked up the key, and turned to face her suitors, her eyes immediately searching for Alex's, and was relieved to see that Alex was nowhere near Sylvie.

"Hi guys. Tonight has certainly been crazy, so I want to thank you all again for starting this adventure with me. I really appreciate it." She smiled as she moved her gaze around the room, before landing on Alex again. "I want to give this key to a person I felt an instant connection with." She saw a number of the suitors sit up a little straighter, thinking the comment was directed at them. "I was able to let my walls down and this person made me feel really comfortable in what could be considered an uncomfortable situation." Piper felt the blush return to her cheeks as her mind flashed to the wall and position Alex held her in not so long ago. "So, Alex, " She began as she approached her, "Will you accept the key to my heart?"

Alex told herself not to laugh at the silly expression. She knew Piper was contractually obligated to phrase the question that way. "Of course, Piper." She smiled warmly, as Piper attached the pin to the strap of her dress and leaned in for a hug. What Piper said next left Alex speechless.

Piper angled her head toward Alex's neck to hide her mouth and whisper, "You gave me a mind blowing orgasm, so I thought the least I could do was give you some bling." Both women separated from each other smiling wickedly, as Birdie interrupted.

"Well, Alex has received the first key to Piper's heart, and is safe this week. Who else will be staying? You'll find out soon, because the elimination ceremony is next."


End file.
